


Hot chocolate

by EmmaSpencer



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: After Sherlock's fall, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Greg can relate, Greg gets to know Mycroft even more, Happy Ending, Hidden Family, Love Confession, M/M, More talking, Mycroft has a family, Mycroft needs a bit of help, Mycroft's Ring, Mystrade Holiday 2018, Thankfully he has a clever daughter, Visit in the Holmes house, Winter Time, anxious greg, boys so obviously in love, grandchild, talk, walk in the park, who is bored
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-09-05 18:16:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16815910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmmaSpencer/pseuds/EmmaSpencer
Summary: Chocolate was good but not as he remembered; since last year a lot changed; the divorce, Sherlock’s death, his girls moving further, work, not seeing or talking to Mycroft in months... And just like magic, Mycroft was in the other side of the playground. He was casually dressed, smiling, genuinely laughing, strolling in the snowy park...





	Hot chocolate

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote it for the Mystrade advent calendar.

Greg wrapped his scarf around his neck and sighed realising that his gloves were in the living room, so he had to get his shoes off again. He hesitated to just abandon the idea and stay home, but it was time to get out and stretch his limbs, clear his lungs, get a coffee…no; hot chocolate! He hasn’t taken a day off in a long time, so now he was on a forced holiday; which gave him time to think about things he tried to avoid up until now. So it was nice to get a little time away from his mind.  
He walked to the park, hoping that the hot chocolate will be as good as he last year. Chocolate was good but not as he remembered; since last year a lot changed; the divorce, Sherlock’s death, his girls moving further, work, not seeing or talking to Mycroft in months... And just like magic, Mycroft was in the other side of the playground. He was casually dressed, smiling, genuinely laughing, strolling in the snowy park. He wasn’t alone, there was a young lady with a pram and a teenage girl sulking behind them. The girls both had long curly red hair, pale, freckled, it was pretty obvious that they were related. Greg took another sip of his drink as he watched the family; contemplating if he should greet them or not. Mycroft hasn’t contacted him since that day, Greg tried getting in touch a few times but without success, so most likely Mycroft wouldn’t want any contact with him.  
“Better stay away.” he mumbled already regretting his decision, he really missed meeting Mycroft, talking to him. “I should have stayed in bed.” he grunted and tried to will himself to head home, but he was still standing at the spot staring at them. The little one started to cry, so Mycroft picked him out bouncing him up and down making him chuckle gleefully. His eyes grew wide spotting Greg in the distance, Greg was even more surprised when Mycroft waved to him.  
“Hello Mycroft; ladies.” he walked to them.  
“Gregory, so good to see you.” he smiled at him, Greg knew him well enough to tell it was a genuine smile.  
“You too.” he smiled back at him.  
“Oh, silly me. Gregory, this is Elisabeth, this chuckling gorgeousness is Nathan…and the sulking young lady is Imogene.”  
“Nice to meet you.” Imogene snorted and walked away kicking the snow.  
“She is…teenager, I…” he sighed.  
“You are doing well dad.” Elisabeth patted his arm. “It’s just a phase.”  
“What mum said about Sherlock.” he mumbled.  
“I’m pretty sure it’s different.” Greg tried to reassure him too.  
“We go and talk to her.” she took back the little boy. “It was good to finally meet you Gregory.”  
“Likewise.” he smiled at them.  
“My daughters.”  
“Figured. Little one is really adorable, looks like you a lot.”  
“Thank you.” they walked around the park.  
“May I ask? I mean I saw the ring, but…”  
“Nathaniel died eleven years ago. One night he didn’t come home…kids were staying with Anthea so we can spend little time alone, it was our anniversary…I was home waiting and waiting and waiting…By the time I got to the hospital he was gone.”  
“I’m sorry Mycroft.” Greg whispered.  
“It was eleven years ago.” he mumbled.  
“Elisabeth looks young…” he tried to distract him.  
“Are you judging me?”  
“No, not at all.”  
“She met Adam in university, he asked her at Christmas, just like Nathaniel…” he trailed off. “They graduated and almost immediately got married; I couldn’t say no to her…I think you know what I’m talking about.”  
“Yeah.”  
“Then came the baby.”  
“I’m still waiting on that.” he smiled at him. “What is she doing?”  
“Teaching, both of them. They’re living in the States, only home for the holidays…so it’s just the two of us now.”  
“It must be delightful.” Greg tried to lighten the mood and indeed Mycroft chuckled. “I remember how it was with my girls…they grew out of it. Promise.”  
“Elisabeth never acted like this.”  
“Everyone is different. I’m sure you were very different than Sherlock.”  
“True.”  
“How old is Imogene?”  
“Seventeen.”  
“She will go to uni and everything will change.”  
“She wants to go as far as possible…I’m not so sure I want to let her. I’d miss her too much.” he admitted.  
“I was sad when my girls moved…but this is how it is. We have to deal with them growing up and not needing us that much anymore.”  
“So I’m going to stay on my own.” he sighed. “How lovely.”  
“Of course not Mycroft.”  
“Elisabeth only comes home twice a year…if I’m lucky.”  
“I would never think we’d got to the point when we are walking in the park…” Greg cut him off to stop his depressing thoughts. “…chatting about personal topics, our girls. You are truly relaxed, smiling, it is good to see you like that; the real you.”  
“Real me?”  
“Yes. We were always in the office or your club, your walls up…most of the time.” he smiled at him stepping closer, his hand brushing against Mycroft’s now wishing he wouldn’t go back for his gloves so he could touch his hand, just for a second he could touch Mycroft. “Luckily you let it drop from time to time and I got a peak of you. I’m an open book compared to you.” he lightly bumped to his shoulder.  
“You are an open book compared to anyone Gregory.” he chuckled, a blush creeping on his cheeks.  
“You said we get back in time.” Imogene startled them.  
“Oh, yes…sorry dear. Meet you by the car.”  
“I’m not calling him father.” she mumbled loud enough for them to hear.  
“Don’t listen to her.” Mycroft whispered turning really pale.  
“Why?” Greg was really red.  
“Pardon?”  
“Could we talk a bit more?” he asked hesitantly trying to catch Mycroft’s eyes.  
“Are you busy today?”  
“No.” he smiled at him.  
“You could…maybe…come home with us and we could talk.”  
“Sounds nice.” he slowly reached for Mycroft’s hands but Imogene’s yell made him pull back.  
“Dad!”  
“Where is your sister?” they caught up with her.  
“Adam turned up, so they are walking.”  
“All right.”  
“Would you hurry up already?”  
“We will get back in time, don’t worry.” he rolled his eyes.  
“What’s the hurry?” Greg whispered.  
“Something to do with online games; they have some group…thing. I usually understand everything, but not this.” Greg chuckled.  
“Dad!” she stomped.  
“I’m old dear, can’t run.”  
“Stop calling me dear.” she grunted and buried herself to her phone.  
“Anthea is her mum?”  
“What? No…no.” he shook his head. “Why do you ask?”  
“The phone, the demanding stomp...her expression.” he chuckled.  
“She does spend lots of time with her. She helped out when I was…” he trailed off. “It wasn’t easy.”  
“I can only imagine.”  
“Anthea and Elisabeth had to force me to get up, to eat, to go to work…I really shouldn’t have put this burden on them…but I just couldn’t…Could we not talk about it?”  
“Of course, sorry.”  
“When can I learn to drive?” Imogene asked once they got to the car.  
“You know when, but don’t think I will let you have the car.”  
“But you barely use it!”  
“I do use it.”  
“You are carried everywhere.”  
“We are not arguing about this now young lady!” he closed off the conversation. The drive was quiet from that point. Greg tried to figure out how to approach the matter, how to say it, how to say that he loves the man; the man he hasn’t seen in a year, who he doesn’t know that much about but couldn’t get out of his mind and heart.

“Want a tea?” Mycroft asked uncomfortably fiddling in his kitchen.  
“Yes, thank you. When I was here…”  
“Many floors.”  
“Hiding them?”  
“To be safe, they didn’t get my name for that reason.”  
“I see. I bring the mugs, you show the way.”  
“I love sitting here.” Mycroft showed him to the sitting room.  
“No wonder.” Greg looked around, it was a really nice room but the best part was the big windows through which you could see the garden. “It’s snowing again, I love when it does.”  
“When I was young there was much more snow.” Mycroft collected the blanket from the sofa quickly folding it, trying to hide it behind his back.  
“Yeah, Christmas time seemed more magical.” Greg sat next to him. “Now it’s just another day I spend on the sofa, eating leftovers.”  
“It was different when the girls were little.”  
“True…but you have Nathan now, so it can be like that again.” Mycroft finished his tea and turned towards him.  
“What did you want to talk about Gregory?”  
“Yes, okay…I wanted to say…” he took a sip of his tea clearing his throat.  
“Why are you anxious?”  
“Not an easy topic.”  
“Why?” Greg chuckled nervously, trying to figure how to say it, no matter how much time he had in the car he was still hesitant. “Just say it, I can deal with anything.” Greg looked Mycroft in the eyes, those beautiful stormy blue eyes and took a deep breath.  
“I like you, a lot Mycroft…my marriage was failing and I found myself fantasising about you. How much I’d love to take you on dates, holding your hand, kissing you…I waited for the days you called me, cherishing every second we spent together…” Mycroft’s expression was unreadable. “I thought I was giving out signs you’d understand, that you’d see how I feel about you…but since you didn’t say a word...” he sighed and looked out of the window.  
“What signals?” Greg laughed dryly and looked at him, Mycroft was scanning him with utter confusion.  
“Wait, you really haven’t seen it?”  
“I’m sorry.” he mumbled. “In that case I’d definitely…”  
“DAD!” they solitude was disturbed by a shrike and then the door got thrown open.  
“What is it Imogene?” Mycroft turned towards her.  
“Internet not working.” Greg whispered.  
“I can not do anything about that, sorry.”  
“But…”  
“Sorry.” she grunted and stomped up the stairs.  
“I saw repair guys down the road.” Greg mumbled staring to Mycroft’s blue eyes as he slid closer to him.  
“What I wanted to say before she disturbed us...” he slowly reached for Greg’s hand, Greg closed the distance between them and took his shaking hand. “So I wanted to say that…” He stared to the deep brown eyes, looking for the usual calming effect it had on him. “That if I’d known it…” Greg cupped his face with his other hand smiling at him softly.  
“Your skin.” he chuckled. “So soft…freckles.” he traced them, Mycroft closed his eyes leaning to the touch, Greg leaned closer and placed a hesitant kiss on Mycroft’s lips.  
“I’m sorry.” Mycroft whispered and sat back.  
“Just take your time Mycroft, no need to hurry. Take all the time you need.” he whispered stroking his hands.  
“I’m sorry.” he whispered. “I haven’t kissed anyone since…” his voice broke.  
“I can understand…I’m sorry for causing you distress My.” he just shook his head.  
“Dad? Are you okay?” Greg let go of his hands quickly like they were doing something they shouldn’t. “Dad?” she came closer.  
“I’m okay my dear.” he tried to smile at her.  
“Are you?” he pulled her to his lap.  
“Sure.” Greg took the mugs back to the kitchen to give them space.  
“Is it because of papa?”  
“It’s really nothing my dear.” he stroked her hair.  
“You know, he wouldn’t want you to be lonely and miserable; me neither.”  
“I’m not lonely, I have you here…your sister, little Nathaniel.”  
“You are lonely, I can tell…lonely and suffering.”  
“No, not at all.”  
“You taught me to spot when someone is lying.” she raised an eyebrow. Mycroft chuckled his head dropping. “It’s been eleven years dad, eleven years…it’s not like cheating on him.”  
“I know.” he whispered.  
“Then what is it?”  
“I don’t know.”  
“And you all say I’m the moody, indecisive teenager.”  
“I can decide.”  
“You want to be with him.”  
“I do…”  
“He wants to be with you; then what’s the matter!”  
“I’m scared.”  
“Of what? Sex?” Mycroft chuckled shaking his head. “He just got divorced, he is rusty in dating too.”  
“Are you trying to get us together?”  
“We watched the two of you with Anthea and yes we saw the signals he was giving you. You didn’t acknowledge it but he didn’t give up…that told us that he won’t run off after the first bad day. There you go; one less thing to worry about.”  
“Thank you, still no car!” he kissed her nose.  
“Typical.” she huffed.  
“You don’t mind?” he whispered.  
“I told you I’m not going to call him father…Greg is perfectly fine for me.”  
“I’m not replacing him.”  
“Oh, I get it now, look at me and listen!” she held his face. “Loving Greg don’t erase anything, it won’t change anything. What you and father had will stay with you, be a part of you always…but there is space for more happiness and love.”  
“I sometimes forget how clever you are.”  
“Thanks.” she snorted, Mycroft hugged her tightly. “Go and snog him already...” she got up and left him.  
Mycroft sighed and got up to join Greg in the kitchen.  
“I made coffee if you don’t mind.”  
“Not at all.” he sat next to him. “I want to apologise for my behaviour...”  
“No, no…I shouldn’t have kissed you…I shouldn’t have done it without thinking, sorry.”  
“My daughter suggested that we might be a bit rusty in the dating front.”  
“She is not wrong.” he chuckled.  
“I can tell you that I always enjoyed talking to you…that I have butterflies in my stomach when you are close by...” he was really red fiddling with his hands. Greg took his hands lacing their fingers. “Also your approach was obvious to Imogene and Anthea…they just kept quiet since you were still married.”  
“Can’t blame them.”  
“So what now?”  
“Now I warm up your hands…they are freezing.”  
“Sorry, cold feet and hands I’m afraid.”  
“Don’t mind.” Greg gently rubbed his hands, then kissed them making Mycroft take a sharp breath. Greg looked towards the door hearing whispers, but this time didn’t let go of his hands.  
“Imogene!” Mycroft called out to her.  
“Still no net.” she came in holding her phone up. “Lizzy called asking how you two are getting on…so I thought I show her what I have to suffer through.” Mycroft rolled his eyes but before he could answer Greg kissed him. This time Mycroft kissed back enthusiastically pulling Greg closer by his shirt.  
“There.” Greg broke the kiss leaving Mycroft breathless, lips red from the kissing, hair sticking everywhere from his hands.  
“Disturbing.” Imogene grunted, Elizabeth’s and someone else’s excited voice was audible from the phone.  
“You called Anthea too!” Mycroft tried to rearrange his hair.  
“Well dah…All right I’ve seen enough for today.” the others detested but she left never the less.  
Mycroft looked at Greg and they both broke into laughter. Greg took Mycroft’s hands and pulled him closer.  
“In the future Gregory, if you want something, tell me…I’m apparently not good with hints.”  
“Same goes to you.” he kissed him. “Anything you want to talk about, I’m here.”  
“Thank you.” Mycroft rested his head on his shoulder, Greg wrapped his arms around him burying his face to Mycroft’s hair.  
“What are you doing at Christmas?”  
“John and I planned on going to a pub and just drink…”  
“If you…I don’t want to take you away from Doctor Watson.”  
“He will understand.”  
“You are planning to tell him?”  
“Not yet if you don’t mind. Not that I’m ashamed of you but…I don’t think anyone knows that I’m bi.”  
“It’s okay with me.”  
“Thank you. So you were saying…”  
“You could come over and spend it with us, if you want to of course.”  
“I can help too, I’m on forced holiday.”  
“Good.” he hummed running his hand up and down his back.  
“I will try my best to help you with anything…”  
“Meaning?”  
“Just worried a bit. He asked you at Christmas time, having the baby here for his first Christmas…”  
“I’ll be all right…promise. Survived before, will survive now. I have to cook and bake and clean and decorate…enough to occupy my mind.”  
“And I will be here talking to you, asking questions….” he kissed the top of his head.  
“I hope so.” Mycroft chuckled looking up at him with a wide smile.


End file.
